George  Washington  Flowers 
Memorial  Collection 

DUKE  UNIVERSITY  LIBRARY 

ESTABLISHED  BY  THE 
FAMILY  OF 
COLONEL  FLOWERS 


CIFTS  I  THE  TREASURy; 

A  SERMON  ON  DIOCESAN  MISSIONS, 

PEEACHED  AT  THE  CONYENTIOK 

IS 

ST.  PAUL'S  CHURCH,  EDENTON,  N.  C, 
MAY    I  §5  8, 

BY  REV.  H.  H.  PROUT,  ^ 

HBCTon  OF  ST.  John's  cnuRcir^  wiiriAMSBORoraH. 


PUBLISHED  BY  ORDER  OF  THE  COPENTIOiV. 


fayetteville: 

PRINTED  BY  EDWARD  J.  HALE  &  SON. 

1858. 


GIFTS  IH  THE  T 


A  SERMON  ON  DIOCESAN  MISSIONS, 


PREACHED  AT  THE  CONVENTION 


IN 


ST.  PAUL'S  CHURCH,  EBENTON,  N.  C. 


MAY 


BY  REV.  H.  H.  PROUT, 

RBCTOE  OF  ST.   JOHN's   CHURCH,  WILLIAMSBOROUQH. 


PUBLISHED  BY  ORDER  OF  THE  CONVENTION. 


fayetteville: 

PRINTED  BY  EDWARD  J.  HALE  &  SON. 
1858. 


OIFTS  IN  THE  TREASURY. 

And  Jesus  sat  over  against  the  Treasury,  and  beheld  how  the  people  cast  mo- 
ney into  the  Treasury.  And  many  that  were  rich  cast  in  much.  And  there 
came  a  certain  poor  widow,  and  threw  in  two  mites,  which  make  a  farthing.  And 
he  called  unto  him  his  disciples  and  saith  unto  them,  verily  I  say  unto  you,  that 
this  poor  widow  hath  cast  in  more  than  all  they  which  have  cast  into  the  Trea- 
sury.— St.  Mark,  xii.,  41,  42,  43. 

It  will  be  expected,  on  an  occasion  like  the  present,  that  there 
will  be  an  appeal  to  acknowledged  principles  of  christian  action. 
The  benevolence  which  the  Gospel  inculcates,  if  it  be  not  as 
peculiar  as  the  faith  it  teaches,  is  at  least  as  evident.  What 
then  are  the  rules  and  measures  of  this  christian  benevolence? 
Peculiar  as  the  faith  is,  distinctive  as  is  our  creed,  the  practical 
humane  kindness  of  our  religion  is  also  palpable  and  plain.  It 
looks  upon  humanity,  including  both  the  present  condition  and 
future  prospects  of  men,  under  the  providence  of  God,  with  a 
kindly  interest,  with  a  genial  solicitude.  Hence,  wherever  the 
seed  of  Gospel  truth  has  been  sown,  there  have  sprung  up  char- 
ities to  bless  mankind.  And  since  the  Gospel  is  ours  in  respect 
to  the  truth  it  teaches,  it  is  ours  also  in  respect  to  its  kind  phi- 
lanthropic charity. 

Even  the  Temple  of  God  of  old  had  its  Treasury  for  alms  and 
benevolences.  That  limited  and  austere  ceremonial"  dispensa- 
tion cherished  within  itself  a  principle  of  sympathy  with  man, 
which  Christ  our  Lord  caused  to  expand  and  glow  with  the 
warm  breath  of  his  self-sacrificing  love.  The  worshippers  in 
the  Temple  were  not  only  those  who  prayed  and  believed  and 
confessed,  but  it  was  theirs  also  to  give  alms  as  a  religious  du- 
ty. And  our  Lord  himself,  frequenting  that  solemn  service, 
did  not  hasten  from  the  holy  place,  but  "sat  over  against  the 
Treasury  and  beheld  how  the  people  cast  gifts  into  the  Treasu- 
ry." And  having  before  taught  his  disciples  how  to  pray,  he 
now  calls  them  to  him  and  teaches  them  what  true  charity  is, 
from  what  principles  it  proceeds,  and  by  what  measures  it  is 
to  be  regulated. 

The  Temple  at  Jerusalem  was  a  place  of  daily  resort  for  de- 
vout people.   The  faithful,  of  every  rank  in  life,  congregated 


4 

there  to  join  in  public  prayers,  or  to  offer  prirately  each  one 
his  own  petitions.  And  each  one,  as  his  prayer  is  done,  turns 
to  the  appointed  coffer  which  should  contain  gifts  to  God,  and 
casts  in  his  offering,  benevolently  and  charitably.  But  "Jesus 
sat  over  against  the  Treasury,"  and,  unawares,  the  donor  of 
gifts  comes  under  the  eye  of  One  who  judgeth  righteously.  He 
dreams  not  probably  of  the  scrutinizing  gaze  which  is  reading 
Lis  character.  To  give,  is  with  him  a  habit;  so  much  so  that 
he  is  almost  unconscious  of  the  gift.  But  still  this  habitual 
charity,  in  the  principle  wdiich  prompts  it  and  in  the  measure 
of  its  exercise,  is  a  test  of  character. 

Many,  we  are  told,  acting  under  a  cognizance  they  were  lit- 
tle aware  of,  "many  that  were  rich  threw  in  much."  You  can 
imagine  the  diversities  of  religious  character  which  must  have 
been  developed  to  the  clear-seeing  eye  of  Christ.  The  con- 
Bciously  righteous  man,  for  example,  rises  from  a  calm  prayer 
and  turns  to  bestow  his  offering  in  punctilious  proportion  to  his 
income.  No  one  item  of  gain  from  any  source  is  forgotten.  He 
tithes  even  his  "mint  and  anise  and  cummin,"  and  a  weighty 
offering  falls  from  his  hand  into  the  Treasury  of  God.  Follow- 
ing him,  we  may  conceive  of  a  character  prodigal  of  worldly 
goods,  careless  of  money,  a  stranger  to  sordid  feeling,  who 
thinks  neither  of  how^  little  nor  of  how  much  his  gift  may  be; 
"who  gives  cheerfully,  perhaps  liberally.  Another  succeeds: 
studious  of  appearances,  weighing  his  gift  accurately  in  the 
balances  of  men's  eyes,  graduating  it  by  their  approbation, 
giving  merely  what  it  was  customary  to  give,  keeping  reso- 
lutely within  a  certain  line  of  fashionable  charity.  Then  again, 
there  comes,  under  the  discerning  eye  of  Christ,  a  perplexed 
soul,  harrassed  by  conflicting  claims,  anxious  to  do  well  but 
hardly  able  to  tell  w^iat  he  ought  to  do;  private  claims  setting 
one  way,  the  claims  of  public  charity  setting  another  way,  ma- 
king him  timid  in  action  and  confused  in  motive.  Thus,  the 
many — the  complacent  and  the  prodigal,  the  careless  and  the 
perplexed, — the  "many  who  were  rich  threw  in  much."  Were 
they  condemned?  It  does  not  appear  that  they  were.  Still, 
while  the  munificence  of  the  respective  offerings  of  these  rich 
men  excited  general  admiration,  the  high  eulogium  of  Him  who 
lead  the  heart  and  character  of  every  one  is  not  bestowed  on 
them,  but  is  reserved  for  one  poor  w^oman. 

No  consideration  but  that  of  felt  duty  will  lead  modest  pov- 


5 

erty  to  expose  itself  to  tlie  world.  The  poor  are  apt  to  have 
but  few  friends,  and  they  never  feel  it  so  much  as  when  jostled 
in  the  throng  of  the  wealthy.  The  crowd,  the  "many",  whom 
this  poor  widow  was  amongst,  were  rich,  of  easy  deportment 
and  high  standing,  and  were  it  not  that  the  house  of  (jod  is  the 
home  of  the  poor,  where  they  know  they  have  the  right  to  be, 
she  must  have  felt  herself  sadly  out  of  place  in  such  company. 
The  best  that  the  lowly  can  hope  for  sometimes  is,  that  they 
may  pass  unnoticed.  And  when  the  tvjo  mites  dropped  from 
her  hand,  and  no  tongue  of  critical  admiration  was  ready  to 
applaud,  she  had  only  to  shrink  away  again,  timid  amongst  the 
bold,  and  desponding  while  others  were  smiling  and  satisfied. 
Yet  the  Eye  that  seeth  not  as  man  seeth  had  beheld  this  scene, 
and  discerned  the  hidden  truth  of  things.  He  knows  what  is 
in  the  heart  who  made  the  heart,  and  there  is  no  respect  of 
persons  with  Him.  "Yerily  I  say  unto  you,  this  poor  widow 
hath  cast  in  more  than  they  all."  This  is  the  righteous  judg- 
ment of  Christ.  "For  all  they  did  cast  in  of  their  abundahce, 
but  she  of  her  want  did  cast  in  all  that  she  had,  even  all  her 
living.^'' 

And  can  there  be  a  plainer  instance  and  illustration  of  true 
christian  benevolence?  Or  was  there  ever  a  mirror  held  up  to 
the  fair  countenance  of  true  charity  that  reflected  it  back  more 
beautifully?  The  lesson  conveyed  is  so.  plain  that  a  child  may 
understand  it:  so  truthful  and  clear,  that  one  would  suppose 
every  child-like  heart  must  feel  it.  Our  duty  is  gently,  yet  in- 
evitably insinuated.  Let  us  remember  what  our  Lord  has  de- 
clared to  be  indispensable  on  our  part:  not  profound  sagacity, 
not  deep  learning,  not  admirable  prudence;  but  a  heart  suscep- 
tible to  lessons  of  goodness,  that  responds  promp'tly  to  a  perfect 
rule  of  action:  a  heart  that  does  not  try  to  prove  itself  an  ex- 
ception to  a  rule  of  revealed  duty,  but  knows  in  itself  that  the 
rule  is  of  Grod,  because  it  feels  it  to  he  true.  In  short,  we  are 
to  heed  our  first  kind  impulses,  because  our  very  kindest  im- 
pulses are  most  nearly  right,  and  the  one  thing  indispensable, 
therefore,  is,  that  we  "be  converted  and  become  as  little  chil- 
dren." 

It  is  most  worthy  of  our  observation,  that  no  caveat  is  here 
interposed  against  what  some  would  perhaps  have  called  a  lack 
of  prudence  in  the  poor  woman.  She  ought  at  least,  in  the 
view  of  many,  to  have  kept  one  of  the  two  mites  for  herself. 


6 

while  she  gave  away  the  other.  But  this  very  lack  of  all  self- 
ish prudence,  the  entireness  of  the  self-forgetfulness,  is  what 
gained  the  praise  of  Christ,  and  appears  to  constitute  the  finish 
and  perfection  of  the  example.  Here  then  we  behold  a  display 
of  pure  christian  benevolence,  clear  without  a  shadow,  beauti- 
ful without  ornament. 

It  is  presumed  that  we  have  the  courage  to  contemplate  the 
rules  of  duty  without  flinching  and  without  fear.  Our  Lord 
does  not  deceive  us  into  happiness.  If  the  true  principle  of 
benevolent  action  contains  a  cross,  even.  He  does  not  hide  it 
from  us,  but  exposes  the  whole  pain  and  grief  of  duty  to  the 
heart  that  would  enlist  in  His  service.  It  is  most  remarkable, 
not  that  the  Gospel  offers  blessings — that  every  false  religion 
professes  to  do — but  that  it  offers  them  to  us  if  we  bear  a  cross 
of  self-denial  and  renunciation,  which  no  false  religion  ventures 
to  do.  It  frankly  says  to  every  one,  "Endure  hardness;  take  up 
and^bear  the  Cross;  forsake  all  that  you  have:  you  shall  then 
be  a  disciple  of  Christ,  and  have  treasure  in  heaven."  All 
through  the  Gospel,  grief  and  pain,  and  voluntary  loss  and  cer- 
tain suffering,  are  as  plainly  propounded  to  men  as  are  the  glo- 
ries of  heaven;  and  the  latter  are  no  more  certain  as  rewards 
than  the  former  are  inevitable  as  conditions  antecedently  ne- 
cessary. And  in  the  open  exercise  of  this  frankness,  it  is  still 
supposed  that  men  will  believe  unto  eternal  life;  and  that  their 
faith  will  have  firm  tone  and  elastic  power  to  bound  in  sympa- 
thy toward  whatever  is  high  in  duty  or  profound  in  self-denial. 

Why  was  it  said  of  this  poor  donor,  that  though  she  offered 
so  little  she  still  gave  more  than  all  the  offerings  of  the  wealthy? 
First,  because  it  was  more  relatively  to  her  means.  The  rich 
gave  but  a  fragment  of  their  means;  donations  which  deprived 
them  of  no  indulgence,  and  brought  them  into  no  discomfort. 
Eut  the  charity  of  this  individual  not  only  cut  off  the  means  of 
self-indulgence,  but  brought  her  into  immediate  discomfort. 
And  this  showed  that  the  charity  was  genuine.  This  was  the 
circumstance  on  account  of  which  it  gained  the  express  praise 
of  Christ.  If  therefore  christian  benevolence  includes  the  bear- 
ing of  a  cross — if  the  kindness  of  christians,  to  be  real,  must  be 
like  the  kindness  of  Christ  himself — then  it  were  well  to  remem- 
ber that  the  Eye  that  read  the  character  of  those  who  contri- 
buted in  the  Temple,  reads  ours,  and  that  we  all  shall  be 
weighed  in  the  same  balances  of  pure  strict  justice. 


7 

For  it  may,  I  hope,  be  truly  said  of  every  one  of  us,  that  he 
desires  the  approval  of  God.  We  are  living  and  laboring  to 
gain  the  Divine  blessing  and  pardon.  Our  wish  is  to  enter  in- 
to Life  at  last.  We  desire  also  even  now  a  proof  of  accept- 
ance, a  hope  of  final  salvation,  which  shall  be  an  anchor  of  the 
soul,  sure  and  stedfast.  To  have  that  comfortable  assured  hope, 
is  to  be  most  blessed,  though  in  want  of  all  else.  But  it  was 
this  very  approval,  this  same  most  desirable  blessing,  which 
she  who  gave  all  had  in  return  for  it:  had  it  too  because  she 
gave  all.  It  was  an  experiment  built  on  the  truth  conveyed  in 
that  most  beautiful  parable — "The  kingdom  of  heaven  is  like  a 
merchantman  seeking  goodly  pearls,  who,  when  he  had  found 
one  pearl  of  great  price,  sold  all  that  he  had  and  bought  it." 
Therefore  her  gift  into  the  Treasury  of  God  was  also  such  an 
one  as  left  her  in  want;  she  contributed  all  her  living.  The 
inestimably  precious  return,  "the  pearl  of  great  price,"  was  the 
express  approval  of  Christ,  including,  of  course,  forgiveness, 
peace  and  joy.  Not  as  of  merit,  but  of  grace.  This  self-denial 
was  proof  of  sincerity  of  heart  and  vigor  of  faith.  It  showed  a 
plain  fulfilment  of  the  conditions  upon  which  eternal  life  is  of- 
fered to  us. 

Thus  the  character  and  extent  of  our  charitable  benefactions 
becomes,  in  the  very  doctrine  of  Christ,  proof  of  our  actual 
standing  with  God.  "If  thou  wilt  be  perfect,  sell  what  thou 
hast  and  give  to  the  poor,  and  thou  shalt  have  treasure  in  hea- 
ven." It  is  not  the  absolute  amount,  but  the  proportion  it  bears 
to  the  ability  of  the  donor,  that  forms  a  criterion  of  sincerity. 
And  it  becomes  an  actual  satisfactory  proof  of  faith  only  when 
it  is  felt  to  be  an  entire,  and  a  costly  sacrifice.  Always,  in  true 
devotion  to  God,  there  is  a  wholeness,  an  integrity,  a  moral 
completeness.  And  the  reason  of  it,  the  reason  why  nothing 
less  than  all,  even  the  very  treasures  of  the  heart,  are  ade- 
quate, is  two-fold:  first,  the  commandment,  "Thou  shalt  have 
no  other  Gods  but  me;"  and  second,  because  we  are  purchased 
anew  to  God  by  the  precious  blood  of  Christ,  and  are  not  our 
own.  If  we  are  to  yield  ourselves  to  God,  that  includes  the 
yielding  of  our  choicest  treasures  and  most  profound  affections. 
Unreserved,  undivided  devotion  is  therefore  the  just  claim  of 
the  Creator  and  Redeemer.  And  the  whole  discipline  of  Christ 
is  the  imparting,  cherishing,  and  completing  of  this  holy  cha- 
racter.   Therefore  it  is  proper  for  every  one  under  this  disci- 


8 

pline  to  ask  himself — Is  my  allegiance  in  any  degree  divided 
between  tlie  world  and  God?  Does  my  heart  cling  fondly  to 
the  things  of  this  world?  Do  I  hear  of  parting  with  my  trea- 
sures with  extreme  dislike,  finding  it  hard  to  realize  that  the 
treasures  above  are  of  equivalent  value,  not  to  speak  of  esteem- 
ing them  infinitely  better?  Do  I  reluctate  against  the  radical 
profound  conversion  of  my  soul  to  Himself,  which  the  grace  of 
God  would  work?  It  is  a  hard  saying  now,  and  has  ever  been 
a  hard  saying.  We  read  in  the  Bible  of  one  who  went  away 
sorrowful  when  the  consecration  of  property  was  made  the  test 
of  consecration  of  character  by  Christ;  and  he  went  away  sor- 
rowful, because  "A^  had  great  possessions^  His  worldly  good 
things  had  absorbed  his  afiections.  It  might  be  said  that  his 
possessions  had  got  possession  of  him. 

Yet  here  is  the  unspeakable  value  of  the  Gross  and  Gospel 
of  Christ.  It  transmutes  the  perishable  into  the  incorruptible, 
the  temporal  into  the  eternal.  The  heart  of  man  gives  color 
and  value  to  every  thing  about  him.  And  in  the  very  idea  of 
a  believer,  we  are  to  include  a  renewed  devout  heart — a  new 
creature.  "Old  things  are  passed  away,  all  things  are  become 
new."  Hence  property,  once  a  means  of  temptation  and  irre- 
ligious living,  is  now  a  means  of  devout  living  and  of  gaining 
peace  with  God.  The  world  is  the  servant  of  a  true  believer. 
If  he  is  poor  he  makes  his  two  mites  purchase  for  him  a  spirit- 
ual blessing.  If  he  is  rich,  he  makes  wealth  a  means  of  work- 
ing out  purposes  of  affection  and  devotion  toward  God.  It  is 
the  renewed  spiritual  mind  that  works  in  this  way  toward  spir- 
itual peace.  It  edifies  itself  in  love  by  edifying  the  happiness 
of  others.  A  true  christian  conviction  of  duty  overpowers 
worldliness  of  heart  in  obeying  the  call  to  minister  to  the  poor 
and  destitute.  It  has  indwelling  strength  to  enter  into  success- 
ful competition  with  whatever  is  worldly  or  false.  It  colors 
and  gives  tone  to  the  life.  He  who  is  animated  by  it  follows 
the  steps  of  Him  who,  though  "rich,  for  our  sakes  became  poor, 
that  we  through  his  empliatic  poverty  might  be  rich." 

Why,  again,  is  it  said  that  she  who  gave  the  minute  offering 
of  two  mites  gave  more  than  others?  Because  there  was  value 
and  power  in  iJie  faith  which  prompted  such  a  gift  to  further 
the  ends  of  charitable  benefactions. 

And  what  ends  or  purposes  have  sve  now  in  view?  Do  they 
call  for  true  faith?    Our  Diocesan  Missions  are  not  merely  a 


9 

charity,  but  a  religious  charity.  The  design  indeed  is  to  send 
forth  Ministers  and  to  gather  congregations  in  places  where 
there  is  special  destitution.  Churches  are  to  be  built,  and  men 
are  to  be  educated  for  the  Ministry.  But  surely  this  is  not  all; 
this  religious  purpose  includes  the  repentance  and  sanctifica- 
tion  of  men,  and  their  faithful  obedience  unto  salvation.  It  in- 
cludes personal  conformity  to  the  law  of  Christ  and  joy  in  His 
Cross,  and  a  spiritual  new  creation.  The  end  being  spiritual, 
the  means  are  also  spiritual,  and  make  necessary  the  special 
blessing  of  God.  Our  whole  dependence  in  our  Mission  work 
is  therefore  on  the  accompanying  grace  and  favor  of  the  Spirit 
of  God.  We  may  build  the  outward  edifice,  and  indeed  work 
thereby  a  good  work,  but  this  is  still  only  a  type  of  the  spirit- 
ual house — the  holy  Temple  built  up  of  believers  themselves. 
Hence,  those  who  love  the  Gospel  and  would  propagate  it,  are 
termed  Believers.  They  walk  by  faith,  and  speak  because  they 
believe.  Faith  is  our  distinctive  denomination,  and  it  is  as  ev- 
ident that  he  who  would  do  good  to  others  must  do  it  by  faith 
in  God,  as  that  the  same  faith  is  necessary  for  receiving  a  bless- 
ing himself.  It  is  owing  to  this  power  of  faith  seizing  hold  of 
the  promise  of  God  i^,  behalf  of  others,  that  ''Hhe  poor  in  this 
vjorld^  Hch  in  faiths  are  the  children  of  God  and  become  the 
benefactors  of  mankind.  In  the  light  of  the  truth  that  faith 
controls  the  mercy  and  grace  which  convert  and  save,  you  may 
see  how  it  was  that  the  donor  who  gave  but  two  mites^  in  effect 
gave  more  than  others.  It  was  an  act  that  brought  into  blessed 
exercise  strong  faith.  This  act  and  offering  of  a  pure  heart  was 
successful,  because  it  was  a  distinct  appeal  to  the  Power  which 
dispenses  every  good  and  perfect  gift.  The  gift  may  have  been 
slight,  but  the  faith  involved  was  strong;  even  the  more  clear, 
because  the  offering  was  the  penny  which,  when  given,  left  the 
donor  penniless.  Yet  how  shall  we  describe  such  poverty  and 
its  blessedness  but  by  saying  that  it  is  like  the  poverty  of 
Christ  himself,  which  enriches  the  world,  and  which  is  our  own 
salvation?  It  diffuses  a  sweet  odor  of  blessing  around  it.  The 
thousands  of  the  wealthy  derive  power  to  do  good  from  the 
mite  of  the  faithful,  and  "a  little  leaven  leaveneth  the  whole 
lump."  A  Church  may  hence  be  rich,  though  poor  to  outward 
view;  and  contrariwise  also,  while  to  outward  seeming  exceed- 
ingly opulent,  it  may  be  intrinsically  poor  indeed.  It  was  on 
this  principle,  that  self-denying  faith  is  the  power  and  wealth 


10 

of  the  Church,  that  the  Apostles  ''were  poor  yet  made  many 
rich,  had  nothing  yet  possessed  all  things."  It  was  by  poor 
men,  we  may  well  remember,  that  the  Missionary  triumphs  of 
the  early  Church  were  all  wi'ought;  when  old  customs  and  in- 
durated habits  of  sin  were  broken  up;  when  a  false  science  was 
exploded,  and  imposing  religions,  consecrated  by  the  use  of 
ages,  were  overthrown, — "not  by  might  nor  by  power,  but  by 
my  Spirit,  saith  the  Lord."  It  was  thus  in  their  poverty  that 
the  Apostles  scattered  blessings,  and  their  weakness  was  strong. 
Their  entire  consecration  in  faith  was  like  that  of  the  blessed 
donor  who  threw  in  her  all.  "When  they  undertook  to  do  good 
to  men  and  to  extend  religion,  they  emphatically,  in  the  fullest 
possible  meaning  of  the  words,  threw  in  their  all.  Shall  we 
have  success  on  any  other  condition?  If  we  stand  at  all  will  it 
not  be  in  the  same  divine  strength  which  their  weakness  ena- 
bled them  to  wield?  Surely  it.  will  be  forever  true  that  the 
strength  of  the  Church  is  in  the  prayer  of  faith,  the  work  of 
faith,  and  the  contribution  of  faith.  It  is  only  through  a  real 
self-denial  that  we  shall  become  truly  rich  and  be  able  to  dis- 
pense blessings  to  others. 

But  is  our  present  Missionary  work  oi^a  character  to  demand 
this  entireness  of  consecration? 

Consider  the  extent  of  the  field.  More  than  five  hundred 
miles  from  the  place  where  we  are  now  assembled,  but  still 
within  the  limits  of  your  own  State,  there  are  congregations 
untended  and  a  Chapel  without  a  Minister,  In  the  intermedi- 
ate distance,  at  many  points,  there  is  an  emphatic  call  for  our 
services,  and  a  deep  necessity.  In  order  to  the  successful  es- 
tablishment of  the  Church  in  almost  every  corner  of  this  vast 
Diocese,  there  is  nothing  wanting  but  men  of  earnest  devotion 
and  means  for  their  support.  It  is  hard  to  realize,  either  the 
large  extent  or  the  pressing  need  cf  this  work,  without  being 
in  some  degree  an  eye-witness  of  it.  Indeed  we  ought  to  be 
freely  scattering  the  seed  of  Divine  Truth  broad-cast  over  this 
whole  home-territory  of  ours.  Because,  again,  it  is  home-terri- 
tory. The  people  are  our  home  people,  our  household  of  faith. 
For  is  not  the  true  idea  of  a  Diocese  that  of  an  ecclesiastical 
christian  household,  a  spiritual  family  under  the  paternal  care 
of  one  who  is  therefore  called  our  Father  in  God?  And  in  this 
character  it  becomes  a  mere  centre  of  concentrated  responsibil- 
ity.   Our  General  Church  Authority  has  so  arranged  it,  and  it 


11 

therefore  becomes  to  us  a  minor  subdivision  of  the  great  fami- 
ly of  Christ.  A  marking  out  and  a  definition  of  a  IJiocese  is  a 
marking  out  and  definition  of  the  duties  of  all  the  members  of 
it.  The  duty  is  as  plain  as  the  boundary  is,  and  conterminous 
with  it:  And  not  only  plain  but  divinely  sanctioned,  as  certain- 
ly as  the  authority  acting  in  the  premises  has  divine  sanction. 
Consider  the  force  of  the  obligation  to  do  good  to  our  brethren, 
therefore;  it  is  an  obligation  growing  out  of  the  special  Divine 
Providence  which  has  made  us  a  Diocese.  Or  consider  the 
magnitude  of  the  field,  and  it  is  seen,  at  once,  that  it  will  task 
every  energy  of  devotion  and  give  full  scope  to  entire  self-denial. 

And  now,  therefore,  if,  in  applying  what  has  been  said,  I 
make  some  special  suggestions,  shall  I  venture  too  far,  or  pre- 
sume too  much  on  the  spontaneous  self-denying  devotion  of  my 
hearers?  Should  one  of  us  consecrate  his  property  to  the  found- 
ing and  endowment  of  a  Mission  in  this  home-territory  amongst 
his  home-people,  would  he  be  casting  in  too  much  into  the 
Treasury  of  God?  Should  he  make  it  adequate  as  a  perpetual 
endowment  to  carry  the  means  of  grace  to  those  who  are  likely 
to  be  ever  poor,  would  he  regret  it?  We  have  the  poor,  and 
shall  ever  have  them  with  us.  Would  not  such  an  ofi:ering 
cast  into  the  Treasury  secure  the  benediction  of  Him  who  has 
made  the  poor  the  representatives  of  Himself?  There  are  large 
portions  of  thinly-settled  country,  and  also  the  suburbs  of  cities 
and  towns,  where  such  a  work  would  be  a  perpetual  blessing 
to  the  poor,  and  therefore  a  source  of  undying  satisfaction  to 
the  donor. 

Or  again,  would  you  consecrate  means  and  time  to  God  in 
the  way  of  charity  to  brethren?  A  Depository  of  Bibles,  Prayer 
Books,  and  other  good  books,  in  many  a  secluded  portion  of 
the  State,  to  be  distributed  on  certain  defined  rules,  would  be 
a  means  of  very  great  good.  This  is  a  noble  work  and  greatly 
needed.  Carried  on  intelligently  and  wisely,  it  would  do  much 
toward  the  sound  improvement  of  both  the  mind  and  heart  of 
the  people.  It  would  give  most  encouraging  employment  to 
as  many  self-denying  hearts  and  energetic  hands  and  strong 
wills  as  chose  to  enter  into  it.  The  enterprize,  from  its  very 
nature,  would  tend  to  kindle  up  into  a  high  fervor  the  charity 
that  shall  undertake  it.  Experience  of  blessing  is  most  often 
reaped  on  the  field  where  we  labor  to  do  good  to  otliers,  and 
to  scatter  blessings  is  to  the  donor's  heart  a  great  joy,  making 


12 

his  own  tongue  eloquent  for  the  truth,  and  his  feet  swifter  iu 
the  paths  of  wisdom.  O  that  the  self-seclusion  in  which  too 
many  immure  themselves  might  be  broken  through!  In  pro- 
claiming the  truth,  they  might  feel  the  force  and  value  of  truth. 
It  would  rejoice  their  own  hearts  to  make  others  glad,  and  per- 
haps never,  until  they  do  learn  to  make  others  glad,  will  they 
themselves  be  made  glad  and  fall  of  hope.  Still  better,  there- 
fore, than  all,  will  he  do,  who  shall  give  himself  to  the  direct 
work  of  teaching,  catechising,  and  preaching.  Benevolent  de- 
votion can  hardly  find  any  where  a  sphere  of  more  varied  and 
romantic  attraction  than  your  home-territory,  or  a  people  more 
genial,  kind  and  deserving.  Here,  then,  is  direct  scope  and 
tangible  necessity  for  earnest  devotion  to  God's  service  in  the  im- 
mediate discharge  of  concentrated  responsibility  that  rests  on  us. 

But  would  you  have  us  to  become  Missionaries  then?  Why 
not?  Thrown  as  we  are  in  the  midst  of  a  multitude  of  tasking 
obligations,  there  are  but  two  possible  courses:  either  self-con- 
secration to  duty,  or  self-secUision  from  duty.  And  every  one 
will  either  heartily  grapple  with  his  duties  to  his  brethren  and 
spread  the  truth  among  them,  or  else  he  will  seclude  himself. 
But  surely  it  is  every  man's  duty  to  diflfuse  abroad  the  know- 
ledge and  love  of  that  Truth  which  he  himself  knows  and  loves. 
The  question  then  is,  which  shall  you  do?  Shall  the  generation 
in  which  you  are  living  know  you  as  an  ardent  laborer  for  their 
good?  Shall  your  record  be  written  on  the  hearts  of  your  coun- 
trymen, and  at  length  be  inscribed  on  high  in  the  Book  of 
God's  remembrance?  Are  you  willing  to  trust  yourself,  your 
all^  on  the  mere  promise  of  God  even  now,  anticipating  the 
solemn  hour  when  you  shall  be  obliged  to  do  so?  Will  you  de- 
vote a  whole  life  to  God  in  cultivating  a  hope  of  His  mercy, 
that  when  the  hour  comes,  which  is  coming  swiftly  and  will 
not  be  put  oif,  you  may  quietly  resign  yourself,  hoping  to  reign 
with  Him  with  wliom  you  may  perchance  have  suffered? 

To  keep  within  the  boundary  which  separates  us  from  the 
ignorant  and  guilty  and  perishing,  is  an  old  error.  But  is  it 
really  of  any  consequence  whether  the  separating  line  be  the 
rules  of  Society,  so  called,  or  the  rules  of  a  Convent?  Does  it 
make  any  difference  whether  it  be  the  walls  of  a  monastery  or 
the  walls  of  a  parlor?  I  appeal  to  common  sense.  Recollect, 
I  am  speaking  in  behalf  of  an  attractive  and  most  important 
sphere  of  labor:  a  people  generally  of  pastoral  simplicity  of 


13 

character,  ready-minded  and  generous,  prompt  to  respond  to 
every  benevolent  act  for  their  good;  your  own  people^  upon 
whom  every  discreet  enterprise  for  tlieir  benefit  will  leave  its 
distinct  indelible  impression.  And  I  am  appealing  to  you  as 
having,  each  in  his  measure,  power  to  make"  that  impression. 
And  I  ask  again,  should  those  who  habitually  retreat  from 
bearing  the  weighty  Cross  of  Christ  in  their  brethren's  behalf, 
listen  often  and  complacently  to  many  a  grand  philippic  against 
the  errors  of  ancient  seclusionists,  and  become  worthily  indig- 
nant at  broken  vows  of  voluntary  obedience,  w^ould  it  assoil 
their  consciences?  Themselves  banished  from  hard  duty?  and 
self-banished  too,  perhaps,  ^mowg pomps  and  vanities  solemnly 
renounced  long  since?  But  I  turn  from  the  thought  of  what 
our  delinquencies  may  possibly  deserve,  and  from  the  most  sad 
consequences  to  ourselves  should  w^e  be  found  to  have  reached  a 
position  of  self-indulgence  only  by  wading  through  broken  vows. 

Let  the  specialty  of  this  charity  be  therefore  well  considered. 
Besides  the  example  of  Him  who  became  poor  for  us  that  by 
His  poverty  we  might  be  rich,  besides  the  force  of  the  law  of 
universal  benevolence,  there  is  the  home  claim  of  our  house- 
hold people.  They  are  justly  dear  as  fellow-citizens  and  fellow- 
heirs  of  the  Kingdom  of  Christ.  There  really  should  be  chris- 
tian schools  established  among  them  in  many  a  destitute  place; 
there  should  be  conversational  teaching  in  many  a  remote  set- 
tlement from  house  to  house;  there  should  be  free  distribution 
of  good  books,  widely  diffusing  at  the  same  time  knowledge  of 
the  Truth  by  oral  instruction.  To  all  these  good  works  laymen 
are  competent.  And  these  might  be  made  very  effective  me- 
thods of  cultivating  that  vineyard  which  the  Lord  of  it  has  let 
out  to  us  for  a  time.  Let  us  make  such  use  of  them  as  that  we 
may  be  prepared  for  the  day  of  account. 

One  more  special  method  of  promoting  the  success  of  our 
Diocesan  Missions  deserves  attention.  Self-denial  for  others' 
good  may  be  effectually  shown  if,  when  a  congregation  might 
receive  a  benefaction,  it  should  forbear  to  receive  it  in  order 
that  it  might  go  to  those  more  in  need.  Now  may  not  some  of 
our  beneficiary  congregations,  whose  beneficiary  habit  has  long 
since  become  formed,  properly  practice  this  self-denial?  Kot 
to  receive  a  stipend  is  equivalent  to  bestowing  that  stipend  on 
others;  just  as  to  receive  it  is  to  abstract  it  from  the  supply  of 
others.    Our  Treasury  is  for  the  supply  of  the  destitute;  and 


14 

we  have  many  destitute.  Is  it  not  well  to  remember,  that  the 
offering  which  true  charity  has  cast  in  is  a  true  sacrifice  to  God? 
— a  Cross-emblazoned  offering?  If  the  magnanimity  of  the 
blessed  donor  is  seen  in  her  casting  in  her  wJiole  liviiig^  take 
care  lest  you  draw  upon  that  magnanimity  without  hona  fide 
necessity.  Touch  not  the  gift  of  charity  without  real  need.  The 
sacredness  of  it  consists  in  this,  that  it  is  a  gift  which  was 
blessed  to  the  donor  of  it  only  because  it  left  her  in  actual  want. 
Let  us  therefore  ask  ourselves,  before  taking  out  of  the  Treasu 
ry  any  portion  of  tJie  all  of  Divine  charity,  whether  we  have 
bestowed  our  whole  living — our  all.  For  until  we  reach  self- 
denial  we  never  reach  the  exercise  of  true  charity,  nor  ever  grasp 
its  rewards.  There  is  no  charity  whatever  in  giving  ever  so 
much  to  supply  our  own  spiritual  wants.  A  congregation  must 
first  supply  its  own  necessities  and  then  give  freely  to  others 
before  it  can  even  leghi  to  be  charitable.  Over  and  above  its 
own  wants,  it  must  throw  in  its  two  mites  for  others,  before  it 
can  have  right  to  the  promise  and  blessing  of  Christ. 

They  who  receive  our  Diocesan  stipend  are  the  receivers  of 
christian  alms — mere  charity.  Surely  there  is  something  im- 
proper, perhaps  criminal^  in  taking  alms  when  there  is  not  ac- 
tual necessity;  that  is  to  say,  real  want  and  destitution.  This 
would  appear  to  be  only  a  general  principle  of  social  morality. 
And  since  not  to  take  is  further  equivalent  to  giving,  let  the 
members  of  our  beneficiary  congregations  thoroughly  examine 
themselves  and  see  if  they  have  it  not  in  their  power  to  do  good 
to  their  brethren  in  this  way. 

Here  is  a  congregation  composed  in  part  of  wealthy  men, 
who  are  content  to  have  the  Gospel  preached  to  them  and  to 
receive  the  sacraments  through  the  aid  of  Diocesan  alms.  There 
is  a  congregation  really  poor,  almost  wholly  unable  to  help 
themselves,  who  have  not  been  preached  to  for  a  year  or  years, 
who  appeal  to  us  from  time  to  time  to  help  them.  But  none 
can  go  to  them  to  baptise  their  infants  nor  to  feed  them  with 
the  sacramental  bread;  and  their  dead  die  and  are  buried,  and 
the  Church's  soothing  note  of  triumphant  hope  is  not  heard  over 
them.  Why  is  this  the  tale  told  respecting  many  a  remote  set- 
tlement and  village?  Why  are  crowds  of  those  who  would 
gladly  learn  our  ways  and  walk  in  them  still  ignorant?  Because, 
simply,  long-standing  chronic  beneficiaries,  including  some  rich 
and  well-to-do  communities,  absorb  our  whole  means!  Is  not 
tMs  taking  the  bread  out  of  the  mouths  of  the  starving?  Is  this 


15 

robbing  God  or  not?  In  the  name  of  God,  let  me  say,  exercise 
charity  before  consenting  to  receive  its  benefactions.  Other- 
wise you  may  surely  receive  a  spiritual  detriment  with  the 
very  same  hand  that  is  stretched  out  to  receive  a  pecuniary 
gift,  and  while  grasping  a  charity,  forfeit  the  benediction  of 
heaven. 

That  benediction  is  what  we  are  seekino: — that  biessins:  of 
Christ  is  what  prompts  our  charities.  It  is  the  true  motive  of 
every  true  christian  heart  in  its  labors  and  self-sacrifice.  May 
we  then  so  benevolently  live  and  do  for  others  as  that  we  may 
experience  the  truth  of  the  words,  "it  is  more  blessed  to  give 
than  to  receive." 

The  argument  then,  on  the  whole,  is  this:  Let  us  do  good  in 
order  to  obtain  good:  let  us  give  all  that  we  may  have  all.  It 
is  an  argument  addressed  to  those  who  believe  and  walk  by 
faith.  It  supposes  the  future  to  be  not  only  real  but  better 
than  the  present:  the  eternal  to  be  superior  to  the  temporal. 
And  not  only  this,  but  self-denying  charity  is  wisdom,  because 
there  is  a  peace  of  God,  and  a  sense  of  the  approval  of  Christ, 
a  smile  of  Divine  benediction  which  shines  on  him  whose  con- 
science witnesses  that  his  works  are  the  works  of  a  child  of  God, 
which  is  better  than  glittering  silver  or  the  weight  of  fine  gold. 

And  may  we  not  reasonably  hope  also  to  receive  present  re- 
ward in  beholding  the  good  resulting  from  means  and  labors 
given  in  behalf  of  our  Missions?  Surely  it  must  rejoice  the 
eyes  that  may  be  permitted  to  see  the  work  of  religion  prosper- 
ing, and  the  Church  of  God  widely  extended  in  our  wide,  va- 
ried, beautiful  home-territory.  Anthems  of  christian  praise 
mingling  with  the  ocean's  Te  Deum  on  the  one  side,  and  echo- 
ing through  our  secluded  mountain  fastnesses  on  the  other,  how 
solemn  and  glad  were  it  to  hear!  Might  the  grace  of  God  but 
sanctify  the  people  as  His  providence  has  blessed  them  richly, 
and  our  whole  domain  become  a  land  of  righteousness,  as  it  is 
a  land  plentiful  and  beautiful;  how  cheering  the  anticipation! 
It  is  an  anticipation  built  upon  faith  in  the  promise  of  Christ, 
which  finds  in  our  health-giving  air  only  a  type  and  illustration 
of  the  stirring  influence  of  the  Spirit  of  God,  moving  gently  yet 
with  salutary  breath  on  the  hearts  of  the  people.  In  further- 
ance of  this  good  work,  is  it  not  worth  while  to  put  forth  our 
very  best  exertions?  Shall  we  be  satisfied  with  bestowing  less 
than  self-exhausting  devotion  in  this  cause?  Might  not  several 
congregations  amongst     support  each  its  owa  Missionarj  la  a 


16 

given  county  or  district  on  the  Western  or  South-Western  por- 
tion of  the  State?  Let  the  interest  of  a  Parish  which  God  hath 
greatly  blessed  be  localized  and  centred  on  some  special  field  for 
benevolent  action:  a  peculiar  region,  perhaps,  and  peculiarly 
beautiful:  attractive  for  its  own  sake,  still  more  worthy  on  ac- 
count of  those  who  occupj^  it:  marked  and  distinguished  by  na- 
ture from  the  sea-board  and  its  flourishing  Parishes,  but  linked 
etill  by  social  and  civil  and  christian  bonds  even  to  this  distant 
quarter.  Why  look  perpetually  abroad  for  destitution?  Whj 
look  to  foreign  wants  and  neglect  your  own  household  of  faith? 
Surely  there  is  lack  of  knowledge  elsewhere  than  in  Africa,  and 
tliere  is  the  charm  of  sublime  and  romantic  scenery  elsewhere 
than  in  Europe.  It  is  in  your  own  home  that  your  deepest  re- 
sponsibilities centre.  It  has  every  claim  to  be  loved,  not  in 
word  and  tongue  only,  as  too  many  seem  to  be  satisfied  to  do, 
but  in  deed  and  in  truth. 

Shall  we  not  then  help  forward  this  work,  and  hasten  the  day 
when  there  shall  be  prevalent  a  religion  orderly,  simple,  ear- 
nest, sincere?  When  on  the  basis  of  Truth  there  shall  rise  up 
in  our  midst  a  Temple  set  apart  to  the  "One  Lord,  the  One 
God  and  Father  of  all,"  and  consecrated  and  hallowed  to  its  use 
by  a  whole  people?  It  may  be  of  the  very  deepest  concern  to 
every  one  of  us  to  labor  while  his  day  may  last  in  building  up 
this  Sanctuary  of  Unity  and  Peace,  whereto  may  be  gathered 
our  home-people,  "to  ofier  up  spiritual  sacrifices  acceptable  to 
God  by  Jesus  Christ."  Such  an  array  of  considerations  as  clus- 
ter around  this  duty  is  seldom  presented.  Your  country  is 
physically  interesting  as  well  as  spiritually  needy.  It  is  your 
home,  and  that  home  ecclesiastically  defined  and  religiously 
bounded:  your  own  commonwealth,  and  its  whole  prospective 
honor  is  involved  in  its  religious  condition.  We  are  in  several 
respects  members  of  this  family  whose  wants  are  before  us: 
members  of  this  household,  whose  Supreme  Head  and  Father 
is  Christ. 

It  is  not  without  a  view,  however,  finally,  to  a  crown  of  life 
hereafter,  that  the  wisdom  of  present  self-denial  is  asserted.  We 
have  in  view  the  example  of  the  painful  life  of  Christ  on  earth 
and  his  present  exaltation  in  glory,  when  we  say  it  is  wise  to 
even  sufier  with  Him.  To  cast  in  our  all  into  the  Treasury  is 
prudent,  for  it  is  to  lay  up  treasure  in  heaven,  and  to  transfer 
our  affections  there,  where  our  hope  is  finally  to  be,  through 
the  mercy  of  our  Lord  and  Saviour  Jesus  Christ. 


\ 


V.2 

074 


N.C.     204  299^1865-| 
_  JU^Ol  Religious  pamphlets 


ISSUED  TO 


N.C.     204    Z99    1860-99  v.2 
•  Nos.1-13  343074 


